Change: The focus of our voter initiatitives needs to be on policies, issues

Lawmakers should change the laws regarding voter initiatives so they are more sensible and focused on issues and policies.

Recent gambling initiatives have been more about creating a business opportunity for a specific group or company. Instead of asking whether to legalize gambling in some format, they have been about whether to legalize a specific type of gambling in a specific place, and controlled by a specific business or organization.

On Nov. 6, voters shot down Proposal A, which, if it had passed, would have allowed a company to establish a for-profit bingo operation at the former Guam Greyhound Park in Tamuning. The initiative wasn't about the issue of legalizing for-profit bingo.

In the case of Proposal A, the question simply could have been about whether to legalize for-profit bingo games. If such a measure passed, then the government would have a set amount of time to establish a rules and standards for companies to run for-profit bingo operations. The government could then create business requirements, maximum number of establishments, zoning codes, a tax structure, fees, regulations, the approval process, designating an agency for oversight, etc., for the entire industry.

Creating business opportunity for a specific company or group shouldn't be the purpose of voter initiatives.

Would we handle any other business or industry in the same manner? Would we allow a voter initiative to legalize prostitution, but only if the operation was to be run by a specific company or group in a designated part of island? What about legalizing a marijuana dispensary, but again only in a specific location run by a specific entity?

Initiatives should be more about big-picture policy. Across the nation, such issue- and policy-driven voter initiatives are standard and common. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, there were more than 170 ballot measures considered by voters in 38 states this past election season.

Some of the policy issues considered by states included: legalizing same-sex marriage; legalizing marijuana use; blocking implementation of the federal Affordable Care Act; allowing doctors to legally prescribe medication at a terminally ill patient's request to end that patient's life; raising state taxes; repealing the state death penalty; and allowing casinos and the operation of privately owned, non-tribal casinos within the state.

Voter initiatives are an important part of the democratic process. It makes more sense to have voter initiatives be focused on an issue, policy or law that applies to the entire island, not just one company, group or other entity.